Randomized: In The Dark
by animatedrose
Summary: Six months out of the year, Unova falls under the perpetual veil of night. During this time of year, invasive Pokemon of all kinds appear and lurk through the darkness. Prof. Juniper sends a group of trainers into this darkness to find the answers behind this strange phenomenon. Solstice, a girl with an intense hatred of Pokemon, is forced along. Can she learn to adapt and survive?
1. Prologue

This story was inspired by this comic on DeviantART: browse. deviantart ?qh=§ion;=&global=1&q= Pokemon+ Perpetual+ Black#/ d46rik1

I will be using the Random Pokemon Generator (found here: wyncorporation pokemon/ ) to come up with opponents and potential teammates. Like in the comic above, this will take place in Unova. Outside of inspiration, the above comic and this fanfiction are unrelated.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon, the above comic, or the Random Pokemon Generator. They belong to their respective creators.

Pokemon: In The Dark

Prologue

For six months of the year, spanning from the beginning of spring to summer's end, Unova has daylight. The flowers bloom, the birds sing, and life is joyful. The Pokemon we all know roam their respective territories. We know everything about that world.

For the other six months of the year, spanning from the beginning of autumn to winter's end, Unova is blanketed in night. The plants die, eerie howls and shrieks echo through the night, and life is terrifying. Pokemon of unknown kinds and origins appear wherever they please. We know nothing about that world.

During this time of endless night, Legendaries are said to roam Unova. This has yet to be proven as fact. Those claims lay with wayward travelers and overconfident Pokemon trainers that dare to journey between the many towns and cities of Unova during that time of year.

Many odd and strange Pokemon appear when night engulfs the Unova region. Native species, such as Basculin and Lilligant, are still seen from time to time. A majority of the reports of Pokemon sighted have been non-native species, such as Totodile of Johto and Swalot of Hoenn. How these invasive species arrive in Unova during the night is currently unknown.

These questions may finally be answered…

"This is Casey Jones of Castelia City News, recording live in the Nuvema Town Pokemon Laboratory. Earlier this week, the professors of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova had announced their decision to investigate the mysterious appearances of invasive Pokemon species within Unova during the autumn and winter months. Today, we have Prof. Juniper here to tell us what they have chosen to do."

"Hello there! I'm Prof. Juniper, the resident Pokemon professor of the Unova region. Ever since the mysterious phenomenon of our region being cloaked in darkness for six months began, my colleagues and I have struggled to find a way to study the Pokemon that appear here during that period. Our decision has been to send a team of Pokemon trainers into the darkness, each armed with a PokeDex and Poke Balls, to capture and record what kinds of Pokemon they meet."

"Isn't that a bit…dangerous? There have been sightings of fully evolved Pokemon of various kinds throughout Unova."

"We have provided our trainers with a state-of-the-art GPS system installed in their PokeDex, flashlights that are rechargeable at every Pokemon Center, and a choice of a starter Pokemon from me. Those starters are the Grass-type Snivy, the Fire-type Tepig, and the Water-type Oshawott. I have also installed a special device in their PokeDex that allows communication between the trainer and their Pokemon."

"I admit that all of that sounds very nice, especially that last bit about the communication thing, but how will any of those protect a trainer from, say, a rampaging Gyarados or a charging Rampardos?"

"I was hoping you'd ask that. With help from my colleague, Fennel, I have created as special device that will guarantee escape from any Pokemon encounter. It overrides Pokemon abilities such as Arena Trap by unleashing a supersonic sound wave that temporarily forces the attacking Pokemon to lose concentration in battle and thus interfere with their ability, making escape possible. It's like a technological form of the ability Run Away or the item Repel."

"Clever, Prof. Juniper. Just who would these trainers going into the darkness be, might I ask?"

"They are an elite group of some of the best trainers in all five regions, with a few new trainers mixed in. They will enter the darkened Unova region in pairs, with one new trainer teamed up with an elite trainer in order to better keep them safe."

"Better safe than sorry. Can we expect to see any faces we know out there?"

"Among the elite trainers are Harold Shepard of Johto, Justin Wilkins of Sinnoh, and region tournament champion Samuel Simmons of Kanto."

"Ooh! That's a pretty good balance you got there! Harold is compulsive, Justin is calm, and Samuel is charismatic."

"You'll know who the rest are come tomorrow morning, when we set them loose to travel."

"Indeed. As I'm sure you all know, tomorrow is the last day of sunlight for the Unova region. We'll have live recording of tomorrow's events starting at 8:00 AM, so make sure to rise and shine if you don't want to miss it. This is Casey Jones of Castelia City News, signing off."


	2. Chapter 1: Setting Off

Chapter 1: Setting Off

"This is Casey Jones of Castelia City News, recording live in Nuvema Town. Today is the last day of sunlight for the Unova region before it will be cloaked in darkness for the next six months. During those six months, a group of elite and new trainers will be on a journey through Unova in order to study the invasive Pokemon species that appear.

"Among those trainers is Harold Shepard the second place Pokemon League champ from Johto, Justin Wilkins the runner-up of the Sinnoh Pokemon League Tournament and poffin-maker extraordinaire, and Samuel Simmons the Kanto Tournament Champion. Each of these elite trainers will be paired with a new trainer to accompany them through Unova. Their journey through the darkness of Unova begins…now!"

.o.o.o.o.

"Is everyone ready?" Prof. Juniper asked, looking at each of the trainers in front of her. "Does everyone have what they need? Flashlight, PokeDex, Sonic-Repel, Poke Balls…?"

"We have everything, Prof. Juniper. If anyone did forget something, they have no right to be here in the first place."

These words came from a tall boy with raven-black hair and brown eyes. He wore glasses, a thick blue jacket, black pants, and blue and white tennis shoes. A small smirk crossed his lips as he eyed the new trainers.

"Cut the crap, Justin! Don't act brave because we all know you're gonna pee your pants the moment you run into a Pokemon out there!"

The one who said those words was a brunette with brown eyes and a blue baseball cap on his head. He wore a red jacket with white sleeves, faded blue jeans, and red and white tennis shoes. He grinned confidently, watching as the first boy's face morphed into a glower.

"Cut it out, guys. Save the fighting for the Pokemon, Harold."

It was another brunette, but his hair was noticeably spikier and his eyes were green. He wore a purple and gray shirt, black jeans, and black and white tennis shoes. He stood firmly between the two other boys, Justin and Harold, with the intention to end the fighting.

"Thank you, Samuel," Prof. Juniper said, sighing in relief as the boys ceased arguing. "Now then, remember what I told you. Stay with your partner at all times. Don't be afraid to contact me through your PokeDex if you need help on something."

"We will," Justin promised.

"Can we go now?" Harold whined, annoyed.

"Go wait outside then. I'll be with you in a minute." Prof. Juniper looked at Samuel. "You too, Samuel. I still need to talk to your partner."

"Got it," Samuel nodded. "Let's go, guys!"

The eleven trainers, six elite and five beginners, left the lab. Prof. Juniper headed toward the back room, slowly opening the door and closing it behind her when she entered. She sighed upon seeing the table overturned, chairs knocked over, and Poke Balls scattered across the floor.

At the center of the mess stood a ten-year-old girl with long black hair and blue eyes. She wore a red T-shirt over a dark blue long-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, and blue and black tennis shoes. Her shoulders heaved as she gasped for breath, obviously having just thrown another tantrum.

"Solstice, I know you're angry." Prof. Juniper said soothingly. "But think of it this way. This is for your own good. You'll be outside, away from this town, away from home. It's everything you wanted."

"You're basically putting me on a suicide mission, Juniper! I never wanted to be a Pokemon trainer! You know that!" the girl, Solstice, hissed. She glared at the professor behind her curtain of black hair. "I don't care what my mom said. I'm not going. You can't make me."

"Samuel can't go out there alone. You're already signed up, Solstice. You have to help me out on this." Prof. Juniper reasoned.

"I was signed up without my consent or my permission!" Solstice shouted.

"Your mother thinks a Pokemon journey can help you relax. So do I."

"Maybe if you did it during spring or summer!" Solstice barked, stomping her foot. "Why _now_? It's _dangerous_ out there! You're going to get me _killed_!"

"You'll have Samuel with you. He'll keep you safe." Prof. Juniper reminded. "This could be your chance to finally make friends, Solstice. Why are you fighting so hard to prevent that?"

"Maybe because I don't want to get _hurt_! Everyone around me either betrays me or does something to hurt me! I don't _want_ that! I don't need _anyone_! I'm _fine_ on my _own_!" Solstice yelled, grabbing a stack of folders from a nearby desk and throwing them around the room.

Once the girl recovered again, Prof. Juniper spoke. "Your mother and I don't care if you want or don't want this. You need this, whether you realize it or not. Maybe you'll understand one day."

"I don't want to understand," Solstice growled. "I want to be left alone!"

"I'm afraid that won't be happening," Prof. Juniper said harshly. "I've done everything I could to try and help you without Pokemon. You've left me no other choice."

"Well, I say no. I'm not going." Solstice said firmly.

Prof. Juniper picked up three Pokemon and unleashed them. Solstice screamed, jumping backward and scrambling up onto the desk. She glared hatefully at the woman before her gaze rested on the trio of starters at Prof. Juniper's feet. She shivered in fear, backing up on the desk even more.

"Pick one," Prof. Juniper said.

"No," Solstice replied.

"Pick one!" Prof. Juniper growled.

"I said no," Solstice growled back.

"I said pick one!" Prof. Juniper yelled.

"No!" Solstice snarled.

"Osha,"

"I SAID NO!" Solstice roared.

Prof. Juniper stared in shock. Solstice smirked, feeling victorious. Her gaze drifted down to the two starters on the floor.

Wait, since when were there two? Where was the third one?

Then she felt a paw on her arm.

Solstice screamed, kicking the otter across the room in an instant. She succeeded in kicking the Oshawott in the face, blood gushing from its nose. The Water-type crashed into the bookshelf, a deep cut close to the outside of its right eye forming from the impact. It slid to the ground, unconscious.

"Ew! It _touched_ me! Gross!" Solstice cried, scrubbing her arm viciously with a nearby folder. "Why the hell did it _touch_ me? It better be dead or I'll kill it for touching me!"

Prof. Juniper sighed, returning all three starters to their Poke Balls. She looked sternly at Solstice, who froze instantly. "You better be outside in fifteen minutes. Don't make me come looking for you."

The woman left the room, heading outside. Solstice sat there on the desk, the folder slipping out of her hand and onto the floor. She hung her head, angry at herself for not arguing…and upset with herself for letting things get this far to begin with.

Sliding off of the desk, she picked up the duffel bag sitting on the floor by the bookshelf. Inside of it was a PokeDex, Poke Balls, a flashlight, a Sonic-Repel, and other essential equipment. She took a moment to notice that a thin trail of blood was running down the side of the bookshelf. She shuddered in revulsion as she remembered the Oshawott touching her.

Shouldering it with a huff, Solstice slowly left the room and headed for the lab's front door. Resting her hand on the doorknob, she paused.

_Why the hell is this happening? I shouldn't be doing this. I'm going to die. Pokemon and I…just don't mix. I'm only going to slow Samuel down. Don't I get a say in my fate anymore…?_

Solstice sighed, frowning.

_Of course I don't. I had my chance…which was actually a lot of chances. I blew them…all of them. I fucked my chances to hell. I guess it's no surprise I don't get a say anymore. All I'd do is blow it…_

Taking a deep breath, Solstice turned the doorknob and stepped outside. Prof. Juniper and the other trainers were there, as was the camera crew from Castelia City. She could see her mom as well. Solstice looked to the side, ignoring her mom as punishment for the journey she would now have to go on.

She stepped in line with the rest of the trainers. Prof. Juniper was giving last minute instructions and reciting who was paired with whom. Solstice looked at Samuel, who was a short distance down the line. He smiled at her. She frowned, looking away.

"New trainers, please step forward and select your starter. You have a choice of Snivy, Tepig, or Oshawott." Prof. Juniper said.

Solstice was the last one to step forward. She reached out to grab a Poke Ball, only to have Prof. Juniper shove one into her hands. The professor gave a knowing smile and Solstice felt a shiver of dread crawl up her spine. She looked at the innocent-looking Poke Ball and felt the urge to hurl it as far away from her as she could.

"Now that that's all said and done, you're free to go. Be careful and make sure to report to me every once in a while with your PokeDex. Stay with your buddy, okay?" Prof. Juniper reminded.

"Stay close to me, Sol," Samuel commented, standing beside the younger girl. "I'll protect you."

"Whatever," Solstice muttered, glaring at the Poke Ball in her hand. "And don't call me Sol."

Samuel chuckled. "Sure, sure! Whatever you say!" He strutted forward, hands in his pockets. "Come on, Solstice! Let's show these guys how to do this!"

Solstice snorted. _I'm already going to hate this guy,_ she thought, following after him.

The twelve trainers left Nuvema Town, pausing just outside of Route 1. Thick trees, their leaves beginning to change color for autumn, bordered the group of thin trails that entered the forested route. It looked pleasant, even welcoming, during the daytime.

That would all change come sundown. It would become a frightening, even spooky, place to be wandering through. Once night came, it would remain that way for the next six months—a horror-stricken place full of unknown dangers.

Only a few hours before sundown were left. Saying their final goodbyes, the group picked a path of their own and began to separate into their assigned pairs. When Samuel and Solstice were the only ones left, Samuel stepped toward the route eagerly.

Solstice whirled around in order to pummel Prof. Juniper and her mom for doing this to her. Samuel, thinking she was chickening out, caught her arm and dragged her after him. She struggled and screamed, swiping futilely at her targets as she was forcibly dragged into what could easily be her worst nightmare…


	3. Chapter 2: Death Scythe

Chapter 2: Death Scythe

Once they were far enough down the route, Samuel let go of Solstice and looked at her sternly. The girl fell to her knees on the ground, punching the dirt angrily. Bitter tears of anger and betrayal ran down her cheeks.

"You signed up for this, you know. If you think I'm going to let you chicken out that easily, you've got another thing co—"

"Why the hell didn't you let me pummel them?!" Solstice snarled, glaring at the older boy.

Samuel yelped, feeling a shiver of fear shoot up his spine. "Pummel them? You weren't trying to run?" he asked, confused.

"Yes, I was! Juniper and my mom forced me into this! I don't want any part of it!" she shouted. "Once I got back at them for this, I'd have run as far away as I could!"

"Why?" Samuel asked, lost.

"BECAUSE I HATE POKEMON! THAT'S WHY!" Solstice yelled.

Samuel fell on his butt at that. "You hate Pokemon? No way! How can you hate Pokemon?" he asked, shocked. "They're cute, strong, loving, loyal—"

"Disgusting, cruel, heartless little monsters!" Solstice argued. "I hate them! I hate all of them, no matter how cute and cuddly they look! They're all mean underneath!"

"That's not true!" Samuel barked, offended. He jumped to his feet in anger. "You just never got to know them! Sure, some can be mean at first but once you get to know them, they can be really nice to be around!"

"That's a lie! All the Pokemon I've met have either attacked me or done something gross to be!" Solstice growled.

"Maybe you did something to get them mad first!" Samuel accused. "Pokemon never do anything without reason!"

"I did nothing to them! Most of the time, I never even knew they were there!" Solstice argued.

"You must've gone into their territory! That sure makes them mad!" Samuel cried.

"How the hell am I supposed to know it's their territory?!" Solstice demanded.

"I… I…" Samuel sighed, sitting down on the ground again. "I guess you wouldn't know, huh? You're new, after all."

"New or no, I hate Pokemon. That's not going to change." Solstice said, glaring at him.

Samuel looked to the side, frowning. "…We better start making camp. It'll be dark soon. We'll move once night falls."

"Why? We're only going to be attacked. Do you want to die or something?" Solstice questioned.

"We'll be attacked whether we stay or move. It won't matter to the Pokemon." Samuel replied, standing up. "Are you going to come with me? Or will you stay here and fend for yourself?"

Solstice glared at him hatefully. _I don't want to go anywhere but home! Why do I have to go deeper? Is this guy suicidal? But…he does have a point. I can't go back…_

"…Fine. I'll go." Solstice grumbled.

Samuel instantly brightened up. "I knew you'd come arou—"

"Under one condition!" Solstice quickly interrupted. "I'm not helping with this mission. I'll go with you, but don't expect me to help you. I hate Pokemon and I'm not planning to catch any. I'm definitely not going to fight."

"That kind of defeats the purpose of us being partners, you know." Samuel commented.

"I don't really care," Solstice shrugged. She held out her starter's Poke Ball to him. "You can have this. I don't want it."

"No, you keep it. In case something bad happens to me, you'll have somebody to protect you." Samuel said, pushing her extended hand back.

"Nothing's going to happen to you. You're the Kanto Tournament Champion! You won't lose to anything out here." Solstice argued.

"Nobody's invincible, Sol. I'll lose to something eventually. Now then…" Samuel snatched the Poke Ball out of her hand. "Seeing as you don't want to meet your partner, I'll just force you to meet."

"No! Wait! Don't!" Solstice shrieked, fighting to retrieve the red and white sphere.

"Here we go! Come on out, little guy!" Samuel cried, pressing the button at the sphere's center.

Solstice instantly ducked behind Samuel as white light exploded from the Poke Ball. Once the glow faded, a small figure rubbed its eyes tiredly in front of them. Then it turned to look at them, confused.

That's when Solstice saw the scar near the outside of its right eye.

"AAAAAHHH! Not that thing again!" Solstice screamed.

"You've already met him? Cool!" Samuel said, smiling.

"Osha! Osha osha!" the Oshawott cried, pointing at Solstice and glaring at her. It stomped closer, clearly mad. "Oshawott! Osha!"

Solstice screamed again, burying her face into Samuel's back. The Oshawott froze before looking away. Samuel stared at it in confusion.

The Water-type looked at Solstice and frowned. "Osha!" it cried.

"Make it go away! Please, Sam, make it go away!" Solstice pleaded.

"He sure is mad. What'd you do to him?" Samuel asked.

"He touched me in the lab, so I kicked him. He hit a bookshelf. I thought he was dead!" Solstice wailed, clinging to his back. "Just make it go away! I knew Juniper was up to something when she gave that Poke Ball to me. I should've thrown it away when I had the chance!"

"So that's how he got that scar," Samuel muttered.

"Osha…" The Oshawott looked away, crossing his arms over his chest. "Osha osha…"

That's when Samuel remembered something. "Hey! Sol, give me your PokeDex!"

"Sure." Solstice handed it over without a fight.

After a bit of button pressing, the boy found what he was looking for. Pointing it at the Oshawott, he pressed a button. A beam of white light erupted from the PokeDex and struck the Oshawott, causing him to leap back in surprise, scalchop brandished in order to retaliate. The beam vanished without a trace.

"What was that?" Solstice asked, confused.

The Oshawott frowned, reluctantly returning his scalchop to his stomach. **"What the hell was that? And where the hell did it go?"**

Samuel and Solstice both stared at him. He looked up, noticing the staring. Then he glared at them, gritting his teeth.

"**What the hell are you two looking at?"** he demanded.

Solstice gasped. Then she screamed. Samuel and the Oshawott yelped, clapping their hands over their ears. When the screaming ended, Solstice grabbed Samuel's shirt collar and shook him.

"What the hell did you do?! Why can he talk?! Pokemon don't talk! Why did you do that?! Are you stupid?! I hate you! Make him stop talking, damn it!" she shouted.

"**Would you quit **_**screaming**_** already?!"** the Oshawott finally yelled.

Solstice fell silent, staring at him in shock. The Oshawott frowned, crossing his arms over his chest again. He gave the girl a stern look.

"**Since you apparently couldn't understand me the first time, I'll say it again. **_**You**_** are the one that gave me this scar, as I'm sure you remember. As much as I'd **_**love**_** to exact revenge on you for that, the professor asked me to protect you from other Pokemon out here. Whether I like it or not, we're partners now. I'll expect you to quit **_**screaming**_** every time I do something, okay?"**

"…Okay," Solstice nodded, frightened. "Just please quit talking. You're not supposed to do that."

"**Not happening, kid. You have the right to talk and, as of this moment, so do I."** the Oshawott said. **"I'm not shutting up that easy."**

"Well, now that we've all met!" Samuel piped up, attempting to break the tension between Solstice and her Oshawott. "Do you happen to have a name, Oshawott?"

"**Of course I got a name,"** the Oshawott snorted, glaring at Samuel. **"We Pokemon have names too, you know."**

"Then what is it?" Samuel asked.

"**The name's Death Scythe,"** the Oshawott replied, smirking.

"Do we want to know why that's his name?" Solstice squeaked, terrified.

"How about just Scythe?" Samuel suggested.

"**It's Death Scythe. Nothing more, nothing less,"** Death Scythe said firmly.

"O-okay," Samuel nodded, shaking with nervousness. "Death Scythe, it is. This is your trainer, Solstice."

"I am _not_ that thing's trainer! _You_ are!" Solstice insisted.

"He's yours, Solstice," Samuel reminded. "You own his Poke Ball. You're his trainer."

"I don't want him!" she cried.

"You need a Pokemon to protect you, Sol. I'm sure you two will get along eventually." Samuel reasoned.

"I never wanted a Pokemon!" Solstice argued. "I never wanted to be out here! I just want to go home, maybe beat up Juniper and mom for making this happen to me! This is all their fault!"

"**You've got nobody but yourself to blame, damn it!"** Death Scythe shouted.

Solstice froze, staring at the Oshawott in shock. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Samuel looked at them in confusion.

"**I've heard everything about you from the professor, missy. You hate Pokemon, you refuse to make friends, and you're under the impression everything's out to get you. Your mom and the professor have done everything to try and help you. And what do you do? You throw it back in their faces and laugh! Everything and everyone near you has supposedly hurt you somehow, so you lock everyone out. You hide your fear behind anger and hate, making you near-impossible to approach without you getting violent. You're a pathetic excuse for a trainer if I've ever seen one! Yet the professor insists on still trying to help you. I'm not surprised she eventually snapped and tossed you out here with me. You've got a lot to learn and only six months to do it in…if you survive that long."**

Solstice just stared at him in shock. Death Scythe smirking, knowing what he was saying was correct.

"**Like the professor said before, this is the time of year when it's pitch black for six months. It's far more dangerous than the rest of the year. Lots of unknown Pokemon show up and people **_**have**_** gone missing or died. If you want to survive, kid, you better buck up and start trusting people. I need you to trust **_**me**_**, too. I may not be the nicest guy around, especially in light of what you did to me back in the lab, but I'm willing to put that behind us in order for us to get through this mess…**_**together**_**, if possible. Samuel and I are the only ones you've got right now. Things are going to get rough and you **_**will**_** get hurt, but you've **_**got**_** to keep going. Toss away those fears! They'll only slow you down out here."**

Samuel smiled, nodding in agreement. Solstice stared at the ground, embarrassed and afraid. Tears slid down her cheeks.

Death Scythe noticed this and sighed. He spoke a bit more gently. **"I know it's scary out here. It's going to stay scary until we see daylight again. That's not for six months. Until then, you've got to be brave and be ready for anything. Yes, you're going to have to fight Pokemon. Hell, catch a few if you can manage that! You're not alone, okay? Samuel and I will be here for you. We're not going to abandon you. But you can't let us do all the work. You've got to help, too. I'm not going to force you, if I can help it. That sound okay?"**

Solstice wiped away her tears. "…Fine. I'll help. I still don't want you to touch me."

Death Scythe smirked. **"We've got plenty of time to overcome that fear."**


	4. Chapter 3: Separated

Chapter 3: Separated

After a bit of searching for sticks and leaves, which wasn't hard since it was autumn and they were in a forest, the trio had a fire going. Solstice was stretched out on her sleeping bag, exhausted from running around. Death Scythe sat close to the fire, keeping a fair distance from his trainer as per their agreement.

Samuel was talking to his team, which consisted of six fully evolved Pokemon that he used to gain his Championship. They were Drake the Charizard, Fuhrer the Tyranitar, Techie the Porygon-Z, Ace the Swellow, Cello the Kricketune, and Stench the Garbodor. Once they were all hit with the same beam as Death Scythe, they could speak human. A lot of interesting conversations between them took place.

Death Scythe looked at his trainer, frowning. Solstice was still afraid to get close to him, let alone talk to him. The Oshawott sighed, looking at the sky.

"**Hey! It's getting dark!"** he barked, realizing the bright colors of the sunset were disappearing.

Samuel and Solstice looked up, both watching sadly as daylight disappeared. They wouldn't be seeing it again for the next six months. Some of Samuel's Pokemon waved goodbye to the sun as it sank beneath the horizon, leaving an indigo sky in its wake.

Once the sky began to darken, small pinpricks of light appeared. The stars were coming out. Soon, everything was covered in darkness expect for the small fire that Samuel had made.

"Time to get going," Samuel noted, returning his team to their Poke Balls. "Are you ready, Sol?"

"Do I have a choice?" Solstice grumbled.

"**Not really,"** Death Scythe answered, arms crossed over his chest. He looked at the surrounding darkness. **"We better get moving."**

After snuffing out the flames of their small fire, Samuel and Solstice pulled out their flashlights. Samuel led the way as they wandered through the darkness. Solstice stayed behind him, suddenly afraid but doing her best to hide it. Death Scythe watched the rear, scalchop in hand.

"I wonder what we'll find out here," Samuel muttered.

"I hope nothing at all!" Solstice whimpered. "Why does it have to be so dark? Is Juniper nuts? Sending us out here when it's this dark…"

"She needs research and we have to do it for her," Samuel said. "It won't be hard. Just run into some Pokemon, capture some, and report back every night."

"How will we know night from day? It's pitch black no matter what!" Solstice hissed.

"The clock on our PokeDex will tell us," Samuel replied.

"…Whatever!" Solstice looked to the side, pouting.

A loud rustle came from in front of them. Solstice jumped, a loud scream nearly escaping her had Samuel not covered her mouth. He had a huge grin on his face. Death Scythe faced the source of the rustling, scalchop held at the ready.

A purple glow came from the bushes up ahead. Samuel started to walk toward it, PokeDex in hand. Solstice stayed where she was, too afraid to move. Death Scythe stayed with her, his senses on high alert.

Samuel yelped when the bushes parted, revealing a tall reddish-orange being with cord-like tentacles in place of arms. Solstice bit back a scream, shivers racking her body. Even Death Scythe temporarily froze, fear hitting him like a wave.

Everyone jumped when Samuel's PokeDex spoke. **"DEOXYS, THE DNA POKEMON. DNA FROM A SPACE VIRUS MUTATED AND BECAME THIS POKEMON. IT CAN FOOL ENEMIES BY ALTERING ITS APPEARANCE."**

"Deoxys? Then the rumors _are_ true!" Samuel realized. "There really _are_ invasive Legendary Pokemon in Unova during this time of year!"

"Aren't Legendary Pokemon _super-strong_ or something? Shouldn't we be _running_?!" Solstice demanded.

"Probably," Samuel nodded, excitement showing on his face. "My PokeDex registered it already, so that's all the proof I nee—AAAAAHHH!"

Samuel jumped backward as one of the Pokemon's tentacles lashed out, nearly hitting him. A loud screech escaped it before it attacked. Solstice screamed, falling to her knees in terror.

"**Look out!"** Death Scythe used his scalchop to deflect an incoming tentacle. **"Get up and move, Solstice! You can't just sit there!"**

"Drake, let's g—"

Samuel's order was cut off when a tentacle crashed into his stomach, throwing him back into a tree. The older boy whimpered, sliding down the tree trunk until he was sitting at its base. His head rolled forward, chin resting on his chest. The blow had knocked him unconscious.

"Sam! Sam, get _up_!" Solstice cried. "Sam, get _up_ already! Oh Arceus, don't tell me you're _dead_! Sam, _help_!"

"**He's not dead! He's just unconscious!"** Death Scythe barked, struggling to fight off the tentacles. **"Now quit screaming and get up before you end up the same way!"**

Solstice shakily got to her feet. Part of her begged for her to check on Samuel. Another part demanded that she run as far away as possible. And a tiny part at the back of her mind pleaded that she should help Death Scythe.

She chose to go with the second part. She turned and bolted, only to scream when she nearly ran over a small dirt cliff. Solstice turned again, ready to find a new exit, when Death Scythe was thrown into her by the Deoxys. Her balance lost, her momentum plunged both her and the wounded Oshawott down the cliff.

The Deoxys hovered toward the cliff edge, looking down it curiously. Then it looked at the unconscious Samuel. Deeming neither to be a threat anymore, it turned and disappeared into the surrounding trees.

Once it left, Samuel slowly began to stir. Blinking tiredly, he rubbed his aching head. A slow look around reminded him of Prof. Juniper's mission...and of what he had just seen!

"Deoxys!" he yelped, bolting upright. "Sol, where are you?!"

There was no sign of the raven-haired girl anywhere. Solstice was gone, as was Death Scythe and the Deoxys. Outside of his Pokemon, Samuel was on his own…

.o.o.o.o.

"Ugh…"

"**You awake, Solstice?"**

"Yeah… I think so…"

"**Good. That thing's gone…but…"**

"But _what_?"

"**Uh… So is Sam…"**

"…WHAT?!"

Solstice got up on her hands and knees, shaking leaves and twigs from her hair before whipping around to glare at Death Scythe. The Oshawott stood nearby, arms crossed over his chest. Both of them were covered in scratches and bruises from tumbling down the short cliff.

"Where is he?!" she demanded.

"**Up there, I'd assume."** Death Scythe pointed back up the cliff. **"There's no way back up unless you learn how to dig. I've tried already. We're stuck."**

"Oh _noooooo_! I _told_ Juniper that I'd die out here!" Solstice whined.

"**You're not gonna die, Solstice! You've still got me."** Death Scythe reminded.

"And what are _you_ going to do?! Blow bubbles?" Solstice demanded. "I'm so dead…"

"**Look, whining isn't gonna make things better."** Death Scythe said firmly. **"Now, I say we start moving. We stand a better chance of avoiding another encounter like that Deoxys."**

"Oh Arceus, don't mention that _thing_! I can't believe it actually _appeared_!" Solstice wailed. "It was just supposed to be a rumor!"

"**Well, it isn't! It's real! And if we don't move soon, we might run into it again!"** Death Scythe barked.

"Okay, okay! Quit yelling!" Solstice whined, struggling to her feet. "Oh man, I tore my pant leg!"

"**Forget about that! Move!"** the Oshawott ordered, marching away into the darkness.

"Death Scythe? Death Scythe?!" When Solstice got no response, she ran after him. "Hey! Wait for me!"

When she finally caught up to the Oshawott, she nearly tripped over him. She opened her mouth to shout at him, only to fall silent when Death Scythe pointed his scalchop ahead of them. She followed it, freezing when she found herself face-to-face with a large Pokemon.

It was a black and blue lion with red eyes and a star-shaped tip on the end of its tail. Its thick and spiky mane gave its face a large appearance, making it look more intimidating. The lion barred its fangs, growling low in its throat.

"W-What is th-that?" Solstice squeaked, terrified.

"**How should I know? Use your PokeDex!"** Death Scythe growled.

Solstice slowly pulled out the red box, pointing it at the lion. She bit back a yelp when it spoke. Both Death Scythe and the lion Pokemon jumped at the voice.

"**LUXRAY, THE GLEAM EYES POKEMON. IT CAN SEE CLEARLY THROUGH WALLS TO TRACK DOWN ITS PREY AND SEEK ITS LOST YOUNG. THIS ABILITY COMES IN HANDY WHEN IT IS SCOUTING FOR DANGER."**

"**I guess running is not an option,"** Death Scythe muttered. **"We'll have to fight."**

"Fight? You're kidding!" Solstice yelped. "I've never been in a Pokemon battle before!"

"**First time for everything, Solstice. Just give me an order and leave the rest to me, okay?"** the Oshawott suggested.

"O…okay," Solstice nodded. "Um… What moves _do_ you have, anyway?"

"**Use your PokeDex!"** Death Scythe barked.

"Okay! Stop yelling already! I get the message!" Solstice whined. "Okay… Tackle and Tail Whip… I can do this. Try using Tackle!"

"**I'm on it!"** Death Scythe nodded. **"An all-out offensive is just how I like it! Tail Whip is for pussies!"**

The Oshawott lunged, cracking heads with the charging Luxray. Death Scythe briefly froze when it used Leer, snapping out of it in time to use Tackle once again. One final hit caused the lion to stumble, exhausted.

"**Okay, Solstice, you can catch him now!"** Death Scythe called, stepping aside.

"C-C-Catch it?! You're joking, right?" Solstice yelped. "I don't _want_ to catch any Pokemon!"

"**Look, I can't defend you from every Pokemon we come across! I'm weak to some types too, you know?"** Death Scythe barked. **"We could use this guy against the ones I'm weak to! Now throw one of those Poke Balls before he recovers!"**

"Okay, okay! Just wait a sec!" Solstice whined, digging through her bag. She finally tore one out. "There! Happy?"

"**I will be when you throw it!"** Death Scythe growled. **"Come on, Solstice! He won't wait forever!"**

"I'm throwing it! Happy?!" Solstice shouted.

The raven-haired girl chucked the red and white sphere as hard as she could, nearly knocking the Luxray over when the sphere collided with its head. The Poke Ball split in half, absorbing the Luxray in a blast of white light. The sphere dropped to the ground, twitching.

"Did I get it?" Solstice asked, terrified.

"**Wait for the click,"** Death Scythe advised.

Three twitches later, the Poke Ball clicked. The Oshawott retrieved the sphere, holding it up to Solstice. She reluctantly took it from him, holding it away from herself as if it would reach out and bite her.

"**Now let him out and see what he does,"** Death Scythe instructed, crossing his arms over his chest triumphantly.

"Huh?! It tried to _kill_ us and you want to let it _out_?!" Solstice cried, shocked.

"**If he stays stuck in there, he might hate us more."** Death Scythe replied.

"…I hate you," Solstice growled.

"**Hate me all you want, Solstice. You're stuck with me,"** the Oshawott smugly reminded.

Solstice yanked her hair and screamed in frustration. Death Scythe laughed before beginning to run, avoiding being kicked by the angry ten-year-old. Thus the chase, and their journey, began!


	5. Chapter 4: Encounters of the Leafy Kind

Chapter 4: Encounters of the Leafy Kind

"So, he's male… Level 3… Electric-type… Knows Tackle, Leer, and Charge… Has the Intimidate ability…" Solstice muttered, looking at her PokeDex.

"**What's your name?"** Death Scythe asked, cutting to the chase.

"**The name's Megavolt,"** the Luxray replied roughly. **"What's it ta ya?"**

"Uh… Hi?" Solstice squeaked, instantly intimidated by her new teammate.

"**Solstice, our trainer, caught you. You're with us now."** Death Scythe replied, not frightened at all by the bigger Pokemon.

"**I'm with **_**no one**_**, mouse."** Megavolt growled.

"**Well, this 'mouse' beat you in a fight."** Death Scythe taunted.

"Stop that!" Solstice begged, glaring at the Oshawott. "We don't want to piss him off!"

"**Then he shouldn't talk tough to the one who beat his tail!"** Death Scythe replied, smirking.

"**Ya got lucky, **_**mouse**_**,"** Megavolt hissed, eyes narrowed hatefully. **"What was the point in catchin' me, anyway?"**

"**I'm an **_**otter**_**, kitty cat,"** Death Scythe corrected through grit teeth.

"**Does it look like I care, **_**mouse**_**?"** the Luxray asked, frowning.

"**Does it look like I care that you care, **_**cat**_**?"** the Oshawott countered.

"Stop it right now or you're both going back in your Poke Balls!" Solstice finally shouted. "Arceus, it's like I'm dealing with _children_!"

Megavolt growled, glaring at her. Solstice yelped, backing up into a tree a few feet behind her. Shivers racked her small body. Death Scythe quickly got between them before Megavolt could get any closer. The lion blinked in surprise before looking questioningly at the Oshawott.

"**Is she **_**always**_** like that?"** Megavolt asked, confused.

"**When Pokemon are around, yes,"** Death Scythe reluctantly confirmed. **"She claims to hate Pokemon but, in reality, she's scared to death of us."**

"**Then why is she out here?"** Megavolt questioned. **"There are **_**hundreds**_** o' us out here. Is she **_**tryin'**_** ta scare herself ta death?"**

"**She was sent from Nuvema Town with an older boy to travel out here. Yes, it was against her will."** Death Scythe explained, answering the silent question the Luxray had at his first few words. **"Anyhow, I got picked to protect her…despite how our first meeting went… Back to the main point! We and the older boy came out here, got into a fight with a Deoxys, and we got stuck down here while the older boy is…well, who knows where by now."**

"**So, yer lost?"** Megavolt summarized.

"**Not so much lost as trying to find our way to the next town,"** Death Scythe corrected.

"…**Yer lost,"** the Luxray deadpanned.

"**No, we're no—"**

"Yes, we're lost! We want to go back to Nuvema Town!" Solstice said.

"**We're going to Accumula, remember?"** Death Scythe corrected.

"That's where _you_ want to go. _I_ want to go home and kick Prof. Juniper's ass for letting this happen to me!" Solstice argued.

Death Scythe ignored her. **"We're going to Accumula. Know the way?"**

"**I know the general direction,"** Megavolt nodded. **"Since it seems I'm stuck with ya, I may as well show ya the way."**

"Please tell me we aren't going to run into anymore Pokemon!" Solstice pleaded.

"**No guarantees,"** Megavolt replied nonchalantly.

"**We're in the wild, Solstice. You better start getting used to seeing a lot of Pokemon."** Death Scythe advised.

"But I don't _want_ to!" Solstice whined.

They walked in silence for a few minutes. Solstice began to relax, but only a little bit. She was still terrified of what might lurk in the surrounding darkness. Her eyes kept darting all around her. The only place they didn't go was up…

"AAAAAAAAHHH!"

"**What the hell?!"** Megavolt barked.

"**Solstice!"** Death Scythe whirled around. **"Solstice, are you o—Whoa!"**

A large Venus Flytrap-looking Pokemon dangled from a tree branch just a short distance behind the two Pokemon, red and green vines wrapped around Solstice's arms and neck. Its leafy arms held onto the branch while the round flytrap head looked at the two Pokemon below. Round eyes with small pupils watched them, never blinking.

"**Solstice, I'm coming!"** Death Scythe cried, jumping toward the flytrap with his scalchop in hand.

The living flytrap let out a loud screech as its vines were severed by the scalchop. The remaining vines released their catch, dropping Solstice to the ground. Death Scythe got ready to strike again when the remaining vines suddenly snatched him up, squeezing him tightly.

"**GAAAH!"** the Oshawott cried out, unable to move an inch.

"What _is_ that thing?!" Solstice demanded.

"**Some kind o' plant Pokemon. If ya want ta know **_**exactly**_** what it is, use that talkin' box o' yers, kid!"** Megavolt barked.

"Okay, okay! Sorry!" Solstice shouted, yanking her PokeDex out of her pocket.

"**CARNIVINE, THE BUG CATCHER POKEMON. IT BINDS ITSELF TO TREES IN MARSHES AND LURES IN PREY WITH ITS SWEET-SMELLING SALIVA. IT TAKES A WHOLE DAY TO EAT PREY."**

"Eeeew! It's like a Venus Flytrap!" Solstice complained.

"**And it's gonna eat your otter like one, too, if ya don't **_**do**_** somethin' already!"** Megavolt barked.

"I can't fight a Pokemon! That's _your_ job!" Solstice argued.

"**I heard that humans were fearless…but yer the biggest coward I've ever seen, kid!"** the Luxray growled.

"Well, I'm _sorry_! I don't _like_ Pokemon, okay?" Solstice shouted. "If I had a _choice_, I wouldn't be out here _at all_!"

"**Quit fighting and **_**get me out**_**!"** Death Scythe roared.

The sheer volume of the Oshawott's shout caused the pair to cease fighting. Grabbing her PokeDex again, Solstice quickly looked up Megavolt's moves to remind herself of what they were. The Luxray growled menacingly at the Carnivine, causing it to freeze briefly before it returned to squeezing Death Scythe with its vines.

"Okay, Charge is useless because you don't have any Electric-type moves… Leer won't damage it…" Solstice muttered. "That leaves Tackle! Megavolt, use Tackle!"

"**Well, it's about **_**time**_**, kid!"** the Luxray barked.

"Shut _up_! I'm just starting to get _used_ to this, okay?! Give me a _break_!" Solstice shouted, embarrassed.

"**Well, you better start gettin' used ta it **_**faster**_**, kid! Or you'll end up losin' more than just yer otter. You'll lose yer **_**life**_**!"** Megavolt replied.

Solstice looked up, eyes wide in fear.

Megavolt roared, ramming into the Carnivine with all his strength. The flytrap shrieked, dropping Death Scythe. The Oshawott didn't get up immediately, groaning from the pain of being squeezed so hard.

"**Are ya okay, otter?"** Megavolt asked, landing beside him.

"**I've been better. Let's finish this guy off before he can hurt anyone else."** Death Scythe growled, struggling to his feet.

"**I hear ya there,"** the lion nodded.

Both Pokemon struck, ramming into the Carnivine with Tackle. With one last shriek of rage, it fell to the ground far below. It remained motionless, knocked out from the amount of blows it had sustained.

"**There! That ought ta teach him not ta go eatin' things bigger than himself."** Megavolt chuckled darkly.

"**Or smaller,"** Death Scythe coughed, clutching his aching chest. **"Hey, Solstice, you got a Potion? I think I need one."**

Solstice snapped back to attention. "Huh? Oh, yeah! I've got one!"

As she rummaged through her bag for the bottle, Death Scythe watched her. When he'd spoken to her, it was like she hadn't been paying attention even though she'd been looking right at him. Had she blanked out or something?

"**Did you say something to her?"** Death Scythe asked, looking at Megavolt.

"**I told her the truth,"** the Luxray replied, lying down on the grass. **"She's a coward and a slow learner. If she doesn't get her act together, she's gonna get herself and you killed out here."**

"**You think she doesn't **_**know that**_** already? She never **_**wanted**_** to come out here, but she **_**needs**_** this."** Death Scythe argued.

"**She **_**needs**_** ta learn faster and stop bein' scared o' every little thin' that moves."** Megavolt commented.

"…**I know,"** Death Scythe admitted. **"But you don't need to rush her. Doing that will only make her fight against it more."**

"**And **_**not**_** rushin' her lets her think that it's okay ta make a ton o' mistakes. Mistakes have consequences, otter. Remember that."** Megavolt said, eyes half-lidded.

Death Scythe kept his mouth shut when Solstice approached, allowing her to apply the Potion to his chest, sides, and arms where the vines had squeezed the hardest. She still seemed nervous about getting near them, let alone touching them. Megavolt stayed where he lay, eyes closed as he rested.

A small noise caused all three to look up. It was coming from behind a nearby tree. Holding his scalchop at the ready, Death Scythe cautiously approached the tree. Megavolt stood up, his black fur rising as static electricity built up on it from using Charge.

"D-Death Scythe? W-W-What is it?" Solstice squeaked when the Oshawott stopped beside the tree.

Death Scythe soon returned, carrying what looked like a green bud in his arms. It was only about eight inches tall with a pair of twisted vines on top of it. It had a yellow patch on the middle of it with two parallel black streaks on it. Two triangular yellow bits stuck out from the bottom of the bud.

Solstice yelped, falling from her knees to her butt in shock, when the bud suddenly _whimpered_. Megavolt froze before slowly stepping forward, sniffing the bud. It groaned, moving closer to Death Scythe's chest.

Then Solstice saw the deep scratches on the bud's back. They looked like they were made by claws. Purple stuff was oozing out of them.

"**She's poisoned,"** Megavolt commented.

"She?" Solstice repeated. "Is that a Pokemon?"

"**Use that red box o' yers,"** Megavolt reminded.

"**PokeDex,"** Death Scythe corrected.

"**Whatever,"** the Luxray said, not really caring.

Solstice pointed her PokeDex at the bud, jumping when it spoke. **"BUDEW, THE BUD POKEMON. SENSITIVE TO CHANGING TEMPERATURE, IT KEEPS ITS BUD CLOSED IN WINTER TO SURVIVE THE COLD AND OPENS ITS BUD WHEN IT FEELS THE SUN'S WARM TOUCH. IT SCATTERS POLLEN THAT INDUCES HARSH SNEEZING AND RUNNY NOSES."**

"**Do we have any Antidotes, Solstice?"** Death Scythe asked.

"Uh… I think so." Solstice dug through her bag until she found one. "Here's one! I think I only have five of all the healing junk. You know, Potions, Paralyze Heals, Antidotes, and such…"

"**Then use one. She'll die if ya don't."** Megavolt said.

Solstice stared at the lion in shock. He sounded…oddly concerned for the little bud Pokemon. It was really out of character for the fierce lion that had so nonchalantly told her a few minutes ago that she and Death Scythe were going to die out here if she didn't learn quicker. She didn't know if this was a good or a bad thing…

"**Are ya gonna sit there and stare at me like I grew another head? Or are ya gonna help this poor gal?"**

Solstice snapped back to attention at Megavolt's voice. "Sorry!" She quickly applied the Antidote to the deep cuts on the Budew's back. "These are really deep…"

"**They'll probably scar,"** Megavolt commented.

"**That's a near-guarantee,"** Death Scythe reluctantly agreed. **"She's so young, too."**

"So… Now what? Do we let her go?" Solstice asked.

"**We better bring her with us. You might as well catch her, Solstice."** Death Scythe advised, standing up. **"If she survived an injury like that, who knows what she could do to help us out."**


	6. Chapter 5: A Force to be Reckoned With

Chapter 5: A Force to be Reckoned With

The Budew, unnamed due to her still being unconscious, was currently resting in Solstice's arms. How that was allowed to happen, Solstice had no idea. All she knew was that Death Scythe had argued with her about keeping the wounded Pokemon safe and, somehow, it ended with her carrying the Budew as they traveled through the darkness of Route 1.

_How are we __still__ on Route 1?_ Solstice wondered. _It never seemed __that__ long during the day. I hope we're not going in circles…_

She looked through her PokeDex, stopping on the Budew's entry. "She's female… Level 2… Grass/Poison-type… Knows Absorb… Has the Poison Point ability…"

Solstice yelped when she nearly tripped over Death Scythe. Just as she was about to yell at him, she noticed a purple light up ahead. Megavolt was growling, fur covered in static electricity from Charge.

She pointed her PokeDex at it before she could be told to. **"LITWICK, THE CANDLE POKEMON. WHILE SHINING A LIGHT AND PRETENDING TO BE A GUIDE, IT LEECHES OFF THE LIFE FORCE OF ANY WHO FOLLOW IT. THE LIFE ENERGY THAT IT ABSORBS THEN BECOMES THE FUEL THAT IT BURNS."**

"Absorbs life energy? What kind of Pokemon _does_ that?! Can't that _kill_ you?" Solstice demanded, frightened.

"**A lot o' Ghost-type Pokemon do that. It's how they stay alive,"** Megavolt replied.

"**It's part Fire-type,"** Death Scythe noted. **"I'll take it out. I've got the advantage."**

"Be careful!" Solstice called, backing up a few steps. Not only did she have to keep herself out of their battles, but now she had to keep the Budew safe, too.

"**Don't worry about me, Solstice."** Death Scythe replied. **"I'll be just fine."**

"…Okay…" Solstice nodded, still unsure. "Use Water Gun!"

The Oshawott instantly struck, shooting a blast of water from his mouth. The Litwick shrieked, the flame on its head sputtering violently. Upon recovering, it unleashed a barrage of tiny fireballs that Death Scythe easily repelled with his scalchop. A second Water Gun knocked the living candle out.

"**Yer gettin' better at this, otter,"** Megavolt commented, smirking.

"**Of course I am. I can't afford to be weak, after all. Who will protect Solstice if I get knocked out?"** Death Scythe countered.

"**What's the matter? Don't trust me with her?"** Megavolt taunted playfully.

"**Not on my li—"**

A loud rumble put an end to their conversation. Solstice looked at her two Pokemon in confusion. Death Scythe and Megavolt both looked further ahead. They quickly shared a look before beginning to back away.

"Hey! What's going on?" Solstice asked, suddenly scared.

"**Just move, 'kay? Be quiet and keep movin'!"** Megavolt growled, fur bristling in alarm.

"Death Scythe, what's going on? What's _wrong_?!" Solstice demanded, frightened by the Luxray's odd actions.

"**It's a Conkeldurr, okay? They're big, they're mean, and they're strong!"** the Oshawott hissed. **"Even a low level Conkeldurr can tear you down with those pillars they've got. It's best just to avoid them at all costs, okay?"**

"Conkeldurr?" Solstice pulled out her PokeDex.

A low, steady thumping sounded from further ahead of them. Megavolt and Death Scythe backed up even quicker, practically shoving Solstice along the path. Both Pokemon held fearful expressions, all wide eyes and raised fur.

The thumping suddenly ended. Death Scythe and Megavolt froze, looking around wildly. Solstice felt her knees go weak, threatening to send her crashing to the forest floor. She tightened her grip on the wounded Budew, praying desperately for the first time to Arceus that the Conkeldurr was gone.

The forest was silent for a few heart-stopping seconds.

The silence ended with a loud crash as a huge concrete pillar ripped through the trees in front of the group, tearing through the thick trunks like paper. Solstice screamed, falling to her knees. The trees crashed to the ground around them, revealing their new adversary…

It was a big brown ogre-like creature with a big red nose, a wide mouth, dark rings around its eyes, a gray tuft on its chin, and a bulbous growth sticking up from the back of its head. It had thick violet bands and bulges on its shoulders, chest, back, and thighs. In its hands were two massive concrete pillars.

Solstice shakily pointed her PokeDex at it. **"CONKELDURR, THE MUSCULAR POKEMON. IT IS THOUGHT THAT CONKELDURR TAUGHT HUMANS HOW TO MAKE CONCRETE MORE THAN 2,000 YEARS AGO. THEY KNOW MOVES THAT ENABLE THEM TO SWING THE TWO CONCRETE PILLARS, WHICH THEY USE AS WALKING CANES, FREELY IN BATTLE."**

The ogre snorted, glaring down at them harshly. Megavolt hissed, fur rising in alarm. Death Scythe drew his scalchop, staying in front of Solstice. The ten-year-old girl clutched the Budew closer to her chest, dread hitting her hard.

_This Pokemon…_ Solstice thought. _It's not like any of the ones we've met before. This one's…different!_

After a brief pause, the ogre roared and lashed out with one of its concrete pillars. Solstice screamed, jumping back in order to avoid the strike. Megavolt ducked, barely avoiding being hit. Death Scythe, being too short to be hit with the swinging pillar, lunged toward the Conkeldurr and hit it with his scalchop. The ogre easily shrugged off the hit, smacking him away with its other hand.

"**Solstice! Give us some orders!"** Death Scythe cried, jumping back to his feet after recovering from the blow.

"Can't we run?!" Solstice pleaded.

"**I doubt we could outrun this guy!"** Megavolt growled. **"He may be slow, but he's got a longer reach than we do. He'd hit us before we got ten feet from him."**

"Isn't there a way to avoid fighting him?" Solstice asked, scared.

"**I don't think so, kid,"** the Luxray admitted. **"If there was, we'd be bookin' it by now. But there ain't, so we're stuck fightin' him."**

"We're gonna die," Solstice whimpered.

"**Don't be so quick to give up, kid! We've still got a chance!"** Megavolt barked, turning to glare at her. **"Sure, it's small but it's better than nothin'! You've got to buck up or—"**

"I know, I know! Or I'll _die_! I _get_ it, _okay_?!" Solstice shouted. "I'm as good as dead out here anyway, so what's the point in _adding_ to it?! I already_ know_ that I'll die out here! Quit telling me what I already know!"

Megavolt stared at the ten-year-old girl in shock. Death Scythe groaned, shaking his head. He'd tried to warn the lion…

Solstice panted for breath, clutching the Budew closer to her chest unconsciously. She felt tears building up in her eyes but she forced them back. Crying wouldn't solve anything. It would just strengthen Megavolt's point. It would just prove what she already knew...that she was going to die here.

"**Solstice, look out!"**

She looked up at Death Scythe's cry and saw one of the Conkeldurr's pillars hurtling toward her. Her legs felt rooted to the spot as she watched it approach in terror. She couldn't move…

"**Arceus, kid! Move it already!"**

Something big and heavy rammed into her, throwing her to the side. The Budew tumbled from her arms as she hit the ground, winded from the strike. A loud shriek tore her attention from her scraped hands and knees.

She turned in time to see Megavolt crash into a tree some distance behind where Solstice had originally been standing. The Luxray slumped to the ground, unmoving. The Conkeldurr snorted as it picked up its pillar, frowning at the fallen lion.

"Megavolt…?" Solstice squeaked. "Megavolt, are you…okay?"

There was no response.

"Megavolt? Hey… Say something!"

There was still no response.

"Megavolt? Hey, get _up_! _Say_ something! Megavolt!"

Solstice felt something inside of her break when the lion still did not respond. It took her a moment to realize that her tears from before were now freely falling down her face. Now those tears had a new reason for falling.

"Megavolt, get up! Please, get up!" she begged. "Megavolt, _please_! Get up!"

A moment of fear passed before the Luxray twitched. A low groaned escaped him as the black lion struggled to get up, body trembling from the effort. Blood ran from his mouth, leaving small spots on the grass below him. Staggering to his paws, he slowly turned to glare at the Conkeldurr.

"**Ya thought I was out? Sorry, but that's a big 'no' for ya."** Megavolt chuckled, his tongue swiping the blood from his lip.

"Megavolt!" Solstice sniffled. "Y…you're okay!"

"**Of course I'm okay! Do I **_**look**_** death ta ya?!"** Megavolt growled. Then he noticed the tears. **"Hey, why are ya cryin'? Ya honestly thought I was dead?"**

"I… I…" Solstice hastily wiped them away. "Y…you weren't _moving_!"

"**Oh, so me not movin' means I'm dead now? Then I guess I'm dead a lot, eh?"** Megavolt chuckled.

"**Guys, less chatter and more strategy! We've still got a Conkeldurr to deal with and he **_**doesn't**_** look happy to see you still up, Megavolt!"** Death Scythe reminded.

"**Well, **_**let**_** him be unhappy! It's no skin off my back!"** Megavolt countered.

"**Yeah, it'll be skin off **_**all**_** of our backs when he beats us to a bloody **_**pulp**_**!"** the Oshawott argued. **"Anyone have any ideas how to beat him?"**

"**Tackle spam?"** Megavolt suggested.

"Will Water Gun do anything?" Solstice asked.

"**It's worth a shot. Let's hit him with everything we've got and hope it works. If not…"** Death Scythe didn't bother finishing.

"Death Scythe, use Water Gun! Megavolt, use Tackle!" Solstice ordered.

The Conkeldurr swung his pillars around in order to fend off the attacks. Megavolt was forced to veer off so he wouldn't get hit but Death Scythe, due to his attack being long range, managed to drench to ogre. The Conkeldurr growled, lunging in an attempt to crush the tiny otter Pokemon. The Oshawott easily ducked, diving between the ogre's legs to avoid the strike.

This combo continued with little success. Water Gun was barely doing anything and Megavolt couldn't get close enough to strike. Both Pokemon were getting tired quickly. They couldn't last much longer like this.

Oddly enough, despite how little damage they had done, the Conkeldurr was nearing exhaustion as well. He was forcing himself to stay upright, however. His grip on his concrete pillars did not lessen by even an inch. He was still going strong…

"You've almost got him beat, guys! One more time!" Solstice encouraged. "I hope there aren't anymore of these super-powered guys roaming around. One was enough of a challenge, thanks!"

"**Agreed!"** Megavolt nodded, panting.

Again, Megavolt was forced to veer away to avoid one of the Fighting-type's pillars and Death Scythe hit him with Water Gun, causing very little damage. That's when the Oshawott noticed small spheres of green energy being leeched from the Conkeldurr's back. When he followed the trail of spheres, he was shocked at who was making them.

It was the Budew that they had found! Somehow, she had managed to wake up and muster up enough strength to use Absorb. _**Could that have been why the Conkeldurr had gotten so weak?**_ Death Scythe wondered.

The Conkeldurr finally crashed to his knees, gasping for breath. He clutched his pillars even tighter than before, insistent on not being defeated. Sadly, he couldn't find the strength to rise.

"**Solstice, throw a Poke Ball,"** Death Scythe said.

"What?! Why? He tried to kill us!" Solstice argued.

"**As did Megavolt,"** the Oshawott reminded. **"This guy's only Level 2 and he nearly beat us. He could end up helping us in the long run."**

"…Okay…" Solstice reluctantly pulled out a Poke Ball. "If you're certain…"

"**I am. Do it."** Death Scythe said firmly.

Solstice hesitated before tossing the Poke Ball. The Conkeldurr tried to move away but was unable to avoid the sphere, which absorbed him in a blast of white light. Three twitches and a click later signaled his capture.

Solstice didn't know where to be happy…or scared to death.


End file.
